Asarina plant named ‘Sunloshiro’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Asarina  plant named ‘Sunloshiro’, characterized by its trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; relatively small white-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Asarina hybrid.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNLOSHIRO’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Asarina Plant Named ‘Sunlorose ’

Applicant: Yasuko Isobe

U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/815,128

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Asarina plant, botanically known as Asarina hybrid and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunloshiro’.

The new Asarina plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new trailing and freely branching Asarina plants with attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Asarina plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in June, 2009 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Asarina hybrid identified as code number LP133-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Asarina hybrid identified as code number LP115-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Asarina plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in November, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Asarina plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since November, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Asarina plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Asarina have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunloshiro’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunloshiro’ as a new and distinct Asarina plant:

-   -   1. Trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Relatively small white-colored flowers.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Asarina can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Asarina differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Asarina are more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Asarina have smaller flowers than plants of         the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Asarina can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Asarina differ from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Asarina can be compared to plants of Asarina hybrid ‘Sunlorose’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/815,128. Plants of the new Asarina differ primarily from plants of ‘Sunlorose’ in flower color as plants of ‘Sunlorose’ have vivid red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Asarina can also be compared to plants of Asarina hybrid ‘Sunasashiro’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,635. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Asarina and ‘Sunasashiro’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Asarina had shorter internodes than plants         of ‘Sunasashiro’.     -   2. Plants of the new Asarina and ‘Sunasashiro’ differed in leaf         shape as plants of ‘Sunasashiro’ have ovate-shaped leaves with         longer petioles.     -   3. Flower petals of plants of the new Asarina and ‘Sunasashiro’         differed in orientation as petals of plants of ‘Sunasashiro’         were not imbricate.     -   4. Plants of the new Asarina and ‘Sunasashiro’ differed slightly         in flower color.     -   5. Plants of the new Asarina had smaller sepals than plants of         ‘Sunasashiro’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Asarina plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Asarina plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunloshiro’ grown in a hanging basket container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunloshiro’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 18-cm hanging basket containers in an outdoor nursery Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the description was taken and five months old when the photographs were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Asarina hybrid ‘Sunloshiro’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Asarina             hybrid identified as code number LP133-1, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Asarina             hybrid identified as code number LP115-1, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at             temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Trailing plant habit; freely             branching with lateral branches potentially developing at             every node; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height (from soil level).—About 14.3 cm.         -   Plant diameter (or spread).—About 71 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 64.9 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1.7 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Aspect.—Decumbent.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 4.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 5.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Roughly palmate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Dentate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             138A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A;             venation, close to 143C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to 143D.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single bilabiate             flowers arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering             habit with numerous flowers developing per plant; flowers             face mostly outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Asarina initiate and develop flowers about three             months after planting; long flowering period, flowering             commences naturally in early summer and plants flower             continuously until late autumn in Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one week on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.9 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Shape: Elongated globose. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 5.8 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Tube diameter, mid-section.—About 7.8 mm.         -   Tube diameter, base.—About 4.6 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 4.4 cm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Bilabiate with a two-lobed upper lip             and three-lobed lower lip. Length, upper lip: About 1.2 cm.             Length, lower lip: About 1.2 cm. Width, upper lip: About             1.5 cm. Width, lower lip: About 1.2 cm to 1.4 cm. Shape,             upper lip: Two-lobed, imbricate; apex, rounded. Shape, lower             lip: Three-lobed, imbricate; apex, rounded. Margin, upper             and lower lips: Entire. Texture, upper and lower lips:             Smooth, glabrous. Texture, throat: Smooth, glabrous.             Texture, tube: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower             lips: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             NN155B. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             NN155C. Color, nectar guides: Close to 3A. Color, throat:             Close to NN155C. Color, tube: Close to NN155C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Cup-shaped calyx with five fused sepals.             Sepal length: About 1.5 cm. Sepal width: About 8.9 mm. Sepal             shape: Ovate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire.             Color, immature, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145B.             Color, mature, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Aspect: Semi-upright. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to             145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Stamen length: About 4 cm. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther             size: About 1.6 mm by 2.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 150D.             Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 159C.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             4.2 cm. Style color: Close to 145D. Stigma shape: Elliptic.             Stigma color: Close to 145D. Ovary color: Close to 142D.             Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development has not been             observed on plants of the new Asarina. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Asarina have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Asarina have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Asarina     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Asarina plant named ‘Sunloshiro’ as illustrated and described. 